7 Out Of 10 Nigerian Students Are Criminals: Olukoyede Was Misquoted –EFCC

By Daniel Dafe

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said that at no time did the Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, say that seven out of 10 Nigerian students are criminals, saying that “his concerns still bother on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrimes.”

Recall that at a recent meeting with some representatives of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs that paid him a courtesy visit, Olukoyede called for wider media enlightenment of youths as a counter-measure against the menace of internet fraud.

Following the visit, several news outlets reported that the EFCC Chairman said seven out of ten Nigerian students are into internet fraud.

ALSO READ: Toyota Camry Stolen From Owner’s Residence In Abraka

This led the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, to call on Mr. Olukoyede to provide evidence of his claims or retract his statement.

In an official statement on EFCC’s X handle on Thursday, signed by Dele Oyewale, Head, Media & Publicity, EFCC also described the said reports as “some needless misrepresentation of the concerns of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede to the rising incidences of internet-related crimes involving youths across the country.”

Adding that what he said was “that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless this trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of our great nation may be threatened and if it continues in the next 10 years, 7 out 10 of our youths may be getting involved in cybercrimes.”

The EFCC assured the public that Olukoyede is doubly committed to the progress of Nigerian youths and this underscores his calls for collaborative interventions in offering them more productive and sustainable alternatives.